No school under Atal Adarsh scheme will be closed: Sukhu

While responding to a query raised by BJP MLAs Vinod Kumar and Lokendra Kumar during the question hour in the Vidhan Sabha, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the present government honours the schemes running in the names of all former prime ministers

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said his party regards all former prime ministers and the schools opened in the name of Atal Bihari Vajpayee will not be closed.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday said his party regards all former prime ministers and the schools opened in the name of Atal Bihari Vajpayee will not be closed. (HT Photo)

While responding to a query raised by BJP MLAs Vinod Kumar and Lokendra Kumar during the question hour in the Vidhan Sabha, he said the present government honours the schemes running in the names of all former prime ministers.

He had also mentioned this in his reply to the discussion on the budget.

The chief minister intervened after leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur expressed apprehensions about the future of schools built under the Atal Adarsh Vidyalaya Yojana launched by the previous BJP government. He said under the Rajiv Gandhi Day Boarding School Scheme, every school will be within five kilometres radial distance from the tehsil and subdivisional headquarters. He said all facilities would be made available in these schools. Wherever possible, swimming pools would also be built in the schools, Sukhu said, adding that the government is spending ₹36,000 on each child in a primary school.

Earlier, education minister Rohit Thakur said that land has been identified in all 68 assembly segments of Himachal to set up Rajiv Gandhi day boarding schools.

“Land has been transferred in the name of the education department in nine out of 68 constituencies -- Indora, Jaswan-Pragpur and Palampur in Kangra, Kinnaur, Una, Haroli, Kutlehar and Gagret besides Barsar in Hamirpur district,” he said. MLA Kumar had demanded that considering the remoteness, at least three schools should be set up in his assembly segment in Anni, Nirmand and Arsu.

Sukhu, in a written reply to a question asked by Lahaul and Spiti MLA Ravi Thakur, said the department of tourism and civil aviation has proposed an Asian Development Bank-funded project worth ₹60 crore to develop infrastructure at the Atal Tunnel’s north and south portals.

The preparation of the detailed project report (DPR) is under progress, Sukhu said, adding that the department has released ₹20.8 crore for the development of tourism infrastructure in Lahaul and Spiti under various schemes. An eco-tourism Lahaul haat is proposed to be constructed at Dalang village at a cost of ₹5 crore, of which ₹2.5 crore has been released, he added.

The chief minister also said that there is no record of execution of any tourism development project in Lahaul and Spiti by the department of tourism and civil aviation with the assistance of the World Bank.

Replying to a question asked by Barsar MLA Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Sukhu said as of now, the state government has no plan to regularise the services of outsourced employees deployed in various departments. He said according to the figures of the economic and statistics department for 2021-22, there were about 19,916 personnel deployed on outsourced basis in government departments and undertakings in Himachal.

“Under the Himachal Pradesh Financial Rules, 2009, there is a provision for hiring services through outsourcing in government departments,” he added.

He said that guidelines were issued by the state government on July 1, 2017, for the protection of service conditions of outsourced personnel working in government departments.

Vikramaditya seeks Oppn’s cooperation for getting liberal grants from Centre

Public works minister Vikramaditya Singh on Monday sought opposition BJP’s cooperation in getting liberal financial assistance from the Centre. Vikramaditya, in response to the cut motions brought by the Opposition regarding PWD in the assembly on Monday, also said that making roads without drains and cross drainage is an injustice to the people of the state and misuse of public money. It is better that the roads are not built at all, he said. The House later rejected the cut motions by voice vote.

The minister said the department is focusing on enhancing interconnectivity by improving the quality of link roads. He expressed regret that work on 69 national highways failed to take wings.

Vikramaditya said that he, along with the chief minister, had met Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari on this issue and he has given in-principle approval to expand five NHs of the state to four lanes.

These include stretches between Bittu and Lathiyani, Nalagarh and Swarghat, Kala Amb-Paonta-Dehradun, Amb and Una and Punjab border and Nadaun.

The minister said the construction work of roads under the first phase of PMGSY has not been completed even after the third phase of the scheme has started. He directed the officers of the department to complete such schemes within the stipulated time period. He also expressed concern over stalling of road construction work due to delays in FCA clearances and said the government has appointed special officers and agencies to expedite the work.